Self-clinching staple



1, 1967 H. c. KELSAY 3,333,500

SELF-CLINCHING STAPLE Filed March 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 0

INVENTOR. HOYT C. (EL 54 X United States Patent 3,333,500 SELF-CLINCHING STAPLE Hoyt C. Kelsay, 3129 Julian Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27604 Filed Mar. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 441,062 4 Claims. (CI. 85-49) This invention relates to a self-clinching staple for securing together sheets of paper, cardboard, etc., and which can also be used for securing together a bundle of loose articles such as rods or wires.

Conventional staples are used in a device which drives the staples against a lower member or anvil, the anvil serving to turn or clinch the staples after they have passed through the material being stapled. With the anvil type of machine, it is virtually impossible to apply conventional staples to a closed or filled box without damaging the box, its contents, or obtaining a loose closure. It is either impossible to get the anvil inside the box to complete the clinching operation or the anvil raises the flaps of the box resulting in a loose, sloppy tie of the flap covers.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a staple which can be driven through material from one side only, the staple being designed to clinch after passing through the material. By employing the staple of the present invention, it is possible to staple together the flaps or the covering body of boxes by means of a device which will operate entirely from the exterior of the box.

Since the staple is self-clinching, the fastening operation can be accomplished without positioning an anvil or other instrumentality in the interior of the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfclinching staple designed for wrapping around a loose bunch of wires, rods, or the like to bind these items into a tight bundle. The staple can be driven around the material from one side only after the articles have been assembled upon a supporting surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a staple of the character indicated, which is simple in construction, capable of being mass-produced, but yet highly efiicient for its intended operation.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view in elevation of one form of the staple which comprises the subject matter of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the staple illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view in elevation of the staple illustrated in FIGURE 1 as seen from the right hand side of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line '44 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 illustrates the manner in which the staple shown in FIGURE 1 is applied in stapling together two overlapping flaps of a container.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 5, but illustrating the staple partly inserted through the flaps of the container.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURES 5 and 6, but illustrating the final position of the staple after it has been driven to staple together the flaps of the container.

FIGURE 8 is a front view in elevation of a second form of the staple of the present invention, and more particularly, a staple specifically designed for holding together a loose bunch of articles, such as wires and rods.

FIGURE 9 is a bottom plan view of the staple illustrated in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a side view in elevation of the staple illustrated in FIGURE 8 as seen from the right hand side of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 11-11 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 12 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 1212 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 13 illustrates the manner in which the staple of FIGURE 8 is about to be wrapped about a loose bundle of wires or rods.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 but illustrating the staple partly wrapped around a bundle of loose wires or rods.

FIGURE 15 is a view similar to FIGURES 13 and 14 but illustrating the staple in its final position circumscribing the loose bundle of rods or wires and holding them tightly together in a neat package.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of the staple of FIGURE 8 wrapped around a bundle of wires or rods.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-7, one form of a staple comprising the subject matter of the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10.

The staple 210 is illustrated as being made from a single, continuous strip of sheet material, but it should be understood that wire or other comparable materials may be employed. A plurality of individual staples may be held together by any conventional means now employed for holding staples together, such as by applying a coating of enamel or similar material which will hold the staples together at their edges with suificient tenacity to enable the staples to be handled as a strip until they are driven. Each staple 10 includes a pair of spaced points 12 and 14 for piercing the material to be stapled. The points 12 and 14 are formed by doubling back spaced portions of the strip material forming the staple. A substantially U- shaped bridge 16 extends between and joins one end of each of the points 12 and 14. An arch-like member 18, substantially curved throughout its length, joins the other end of each of the points 12 and 14.

The arch-like member 18 is coplanar with the bridge 16. The arch-like member 18 includes the ends 20 and 22 of the strip material. The ends 20 and 22 are overlapped and joined, by a spot weld, or other comparable means, to the central portion 24 of the bridge 16.

With specific reference now to FIGURES 5-7, the manner inwhich the staple 10 is driven into the overlapped ends of a pair of cardboard flaps 26 and 28 of a box to staple them together, is fully illustrated. The driving means consists of a vertical plunger 30 confined within a sleeve 32, which also confines the staple 10-. Upon downward movement of the plunger 30, a vertical force is applied to the staple 10. The staple will initially move downwardly and the points 12 and 14 will pierce the cardboard flaps 26 and 28. After the points 12 and 14 have pierced the cardboard flaps 26 and 28, continued downward movement of the staple 10 by the plunger 30 will cause the bridge 16 of the staple to move relative to the arch-like member 18. The ends of the arch-like member 18 will come into contact with the cardboard flap 26 and will be compressed towards the downwardly moving bridge 16. As the arch-like member 18 is compressed towards the bridge 16, the ends of the points 12 and 14 to which the arch-like member 18 is connected, will move downward-1y slower than the ends of the points connected to the continuously downwardly moving bridge 16. This will cause the points 12 and 1-4 to curve inwardly after passing through the overlapped flaps 26 and 28.

Continued movement of the plunger 30 will cause the arch-like member 18 to completely flatten against the top of the flap 26 and will cause the points 12 and 14 to curve to such an extent as to bite into the inner surface of the flap 28, as clearly shown in FIGURE 7.

Once the arch-like member 18 is completely flattened, the stapling operation is completed and the plunger 38 is withdrawn. The operations of driving the staple 19 through the cardboard flaps 26 and 28 and of turning or clinchingthe points 12 and 214 are performed entirely on one surface of the material which is being stapled. Thus, the flaps of a box may be joined after the box has been filled with its contents. The construction of the staple causes the staple to clinch without the use of an anvil.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 816, there is shown a slightly modified form of a staple which can be used to bind together a bundle of loose wires, rods or other items having rod-like portions. The operation of the staple illustrated in FIGURE 8 and generally designated by numeral 40 is substantially identical to the operation of the staple 10, as will be fully explained hereinafter.

The staple 40 is also formed from a continuous, single length of strip sheet material. The staple 40 includes a pair of spaced points 42 and 44 formed by doubling back spaced portions of the sheet material. A substantially U-shaped bridge 46 joins one end of each of the points. Since the bridge 46 is formed from the ends of the sheet material, the ends of the material 50 and 52 are overlapped and secured together by welding or other comparable means.

An arch-like member 48 joins the other end of each of the points 42 and 44. The arch-like member 48 includes a central portion 54 which is substantially parallel to the bight portion of the U-shaped bridge 46 and spaced therefrom. The arch-like member 48 is coplanar with the bridge 46.

With specific reference to FIGURES 13-16, it will be seen that the staple 40 is used to bind together a plurality of loose wires or rods into a bundle 56. The loosely packed wires or rods are placed upon a supporting surface 58, having a groove 60 cut therein.

The staples 40 can be driven by a vertically reciprocable plunger 30 disposed within'a confining sleeve 32. As the plunger 30 moves downwardly, it will cause the staple 40 to move downwardly. The central portion 54- of the arch-like member 48 will make initial contact with the movement of the plunger 30 will cause the bridge 46 to move downwardly relative to the arch 48, since the arch-like member 48 is in contact with the bundle of Wires or rods which resists its downward movement.

Accordingly, the arch-like member 48 is compressed toward thebridge 46. The ends of the points 42 and 44 connected to the arch-like member 48 will move downwardly slower than the ends of the points 42 and 44 connected to the bridge 46. This will cause the points 42 and 44 to curve inwardly about the loosely stacked bundle of wires or rods as the bridge 46 moves relative to the arch-like member 48. As shown in FIGURE 15, the bridge 46 will continue its downward movement under the urging of the plunger 30 until it contacts the archlike member 48.

cause of the groove 60 in the supporting surface 58, the points 42 and 44 can move beneath the plane of the supporting surface so as to completely encircle the bundle of loosewires and rods.

Hence, the staple 40 is self-clinching and does not need an anvil member to effect its clinching action.

While specific embodiments of this invention have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a self-clinching staple comprising a pair of spaced points, each point being defined by two spaced end portions connected at their forward ends, a substantially U-shaped bridge including a pair of substantially parallel legs joining a corresponding portion of each of said points, and a coplanar archlike member beneath said bridge joining the other portion of each of said points. 7

2. As an article of manufacture, a self-clinching staple comprising a single, continuous length of material having top of the bundle of wires or rods. Continued downward a pair of spaced points formed by doubling back spaced portions of said material so that each point has spaced rearward end portions, a substantially U-shaped bridge including a pair of substantially parallel legs joining a corresponding end portion of each of said points, and a coplanar arch-like member beneath said bridge joining the other end portion of each of said points.

3. As an article of manufacture, a self-clinching staple comprising a single, continuous length of material having a pair of spaced points formed by doubling back spaced portions of said material so that each point has spaced rearward end portions, 21 substantially U-shaped bridge including a pair of substantially parallel legs joining a corresponding end portion of each said points, and a coplanar arch like member beneath said bridge joining the other end portion of each of said points, said archlike member being arcuate throughout its length and having its central portion secured to the central portion of said bridge.

4. As an article of manufacture, a self-clinching staple comprising a single, continuous length of material having a pair of spaced points formed by doubling back spaced portions of said material so that each point has'spaced rearward end portions, a substantially U-shaped bridge.

having a pair of parallel legs joining a corresponding end portion of each of said points and a bight portion joining said legs, and a coplanar arch-like member beneath said bridge joining the other end portion of each .of said points, said arch-like member including a substantially straight portion spaced from and parallel to the bight portion of the U-shaped bridge.

References Cited UNITED STATES. PATENTS 582,331 5/1897 Wirth -49 1,983,373 12/1934 Horton: 8513 2,664,778 1/ 1954 Gisondi' 853l 7 FOREIGN PATENTS l,380,887 10/ 1964 France.

221,061 11/1942 Switzerland.

CARI. w. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

R. S. BRITTS, G. A. MILWICK, Assistant Examiners," 

3. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A SELF-CLINCHING STAPLE COMPRISING A SINGLE, CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF MATERIAL HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED POINTS FORMED BY DOUBLING BACK SPACED PORTIONS OF SAID MATERIAL SO THAT EACH POINT HAS SPACED REARWARD END PORTIONS, A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BRIDGE INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL LEGS JOINING A CORRESPONDING END PORTION OF EACH SAID POINTS, AND A COPLANAR ARCH-LIKE MEMBER BENEATH SAID BRIDGE JOINING THE OTHER END PORTION OF EACH OF SAID POINTS, SAID ARCH- 